Redux: An Arts and Crafts Contemporary Home

When developing the design of this 10 year old home with, it was important to take advantage of the site’s natural beauty – a woodland lot, across the road from Lake Michigan with its access to the beach. The vision of this custom home was to provide a welcoming framework of space and design to enhance gatherings and conviviality. The bones of the home inside repeat Arts and Crafts’ elements: with square and cube forms –such as in the coffered study ceiling, and the proportions of the great room (approximately 22’ square cube). Outside in the garden, the structure of the square form softens as one goes back further into the lot, ending in a circle of Limelight hydrangeas, in the owner's version of a deconstructed maze and the meanderings of a path reminiscent of a Japanese garden. Over the years, the owner has accumulated unique light fixtures, stained glass pieces, and other elements, many repurposed and installed to fit into the new construction. There is a story in every room. The result is a special home where family, friends and guests escape to relax and enjoy Harbor Country. 

The Ultimate Treehouse

This contemporary home was completed in 2008, just six months before its current owners pulled into the beautiful wooded dunes of Woodland Shores to purchase it. It was exactly the home they would have built for ourselves. The home sits on a beautiful wooded property just two blocks from one of the best beaches in SW Michigan. The main living space is on the 2^nd floor, where the owners are amongst the beautiful oak and maple trees that adorn the property, giving the home a “treehouse” feel.  The floor-to-ceiling windows, high-sloped ceilings, and very large screened-in porch bring the outside in and give lovely views with each changing season. The main living space consists of a large living room with two distinct seating areas, a separate dining room, kitchen, powder room, master suite and large screened-in porch. The 3^rd floor consists of two guest bedrooms with a separate full bath. The ground floor is used as an office and occasional guest bedroom with fabulous views of the recently landscaped front yard. The home is found to be contemporary, but very warm, inviting and comfortable.

A Modern Farmhouse, Inspired

Architect Margaret McCurry designed this 2500-square-foot modern house, situated on a bluff between the Galien River and a century-old farm. Many of McCurry’s trademark elements are present: an exterior clad in industrial corrugated steel siding, a soaring living room/gallery, and a graceful screened porch. Robert A.M. Stern has described McCurry’s interiors as “a Shaker-like austerity amazingly grafted onto a post-Miesian discipline of gridded symmetries.” Here the Shaker austerity includes the work of Amish cabinetmakers from Yoder Kitchens in Nappanee.  Symmetry is achieved not only in the simple forms-every room and every closet is as perfect rectangle (without notches)-but also in the meticulous balancing of windows and doors (culminating in a fake door on one side of a run of kitchen cabinets to offset a pocket door on the other side). The homeowners use the simple white surfaces to display the bulk of their collection of vintage French posters. Margaret McCurry has designed a calm, elegant, functional house, modern in style by with a few nods to its farmhouse inspiration. 

Century-old Cottage 

One block off the lake, a gravel road dead-ends into a white picket-fence. Behind the fence sits a humble 3 bedroom Michigan cottage built circa 1920. But for interior renovations, it sits on the land as the original owners built it, tucked behind a row of towering cedar trees. The current owners purchased this property in 2000 and opted to restore rather than disrupt what those before them had created. And so, the exterior structures remain the same. Inside, the flooring is wide-planked pine wood flooring and walls are all either wide planked or bead-board wainscoting. The kitchen --- where everyone gathers – has maple counter-tops and the original barrel-shaped ceiling. The only structural changes were to add a bathroom, enlarge the other and lift the fireplace off the floor. Within the walls and 42 windows of the cottage, every piece is locally bought. Out the backdoor is a tiny cottage and an arching flagstone patio surrounded by a magnificent garden. It is where guests gather for early morning coffee and sunshine. As you stroll the yard, don’t miss the bunk house and a shuffle board court. The homeowners believe that they are mere stewards of a very special piece of this earth.

Four Stars

The owners purchased their home in 2000 and christened it Four Stars due to its high level of elegance and comfort. They were looking for a getaway with land and privacy for themselves and their two children, as well as place to spend time with extended family and friends. Situated on an acre of land with mature trees all around, this home provides numerous indoor and outdoor spaces for fun and relaxation. Originally Four Stars was a permanent home. The second owners, who purchased it in the mid 90s, did an extensive remodel to the existing spaces. Then in 2008, the current owners began a remodeling project to add two screened porches – one up front with a fireplace that’s perfect for cocktail hour, and one in the back that’s ideal for meals. Other new spaces include a Game Room with pool table and the Study, which serves as a Family room. The house is filled with a mix of sentimental furnishings and accessories, new and folk art. Outside amenities include a secluded bluestone terrace, a rear patio with fire pit, a guest house and pretty English gardens. This home offers something for everyone who wants to leave their cares behind and relax in a place that pampers all of the senses.

Lakeside Retreat

This lakeside retreat was inspired by the owner’s memories of her childhood in the area, and motivated by the family’s desire to entertain and enjoy casual living while in reasonable proximity to Chicago.  The owners envisioned an adventurous mix of old and new, incorporating architectural details inspired by the original Robert Spencer home on the site, as well as a love for midcentury style living and entertainment. The casual Arts and Crafts inspiration is designed for laid-back beachfront living.  The interiors are a playful integration of old and new, derived from a mid-century aesthetic and the desire to evoke the history of the site, the owners, their travels and interests. Custom millwork made of salvaged teak and salvaged circle glass share the stage with penny tiles. The Ladies' Library, designed to reflect the Japanese influence on the American Arts and Crafts movement, includes a hand-spun glass chandelier floating above a salvaged Biedermeier-era sofa. The Dining Room features traditional paneling as well as custom designed stained glass cabinetry. The Lake Room fully opens to lake breezes. The Master Suite features a finely tailored palette of wood and stone, framing views to the woods and lake. Casually comfortable and inviting without being over worked, this is a low-key but sensually luxurious home geared to the needs of an energetic growing family and their extensive guests.